Brook snaketail

Ophiogomphus aspersus

Species Type: invertebrate

Conservation Status: threatened

IDENTIFICATION

The brook snaketail ranges from 1.7” to 1.8” with females frequently larger than males. Their thorax, face, and eyes are bright green and their abdomen is black accented with yellow arrow-shaped markings along the side of each segment. Males have a pronounced swelling, or club, at the tip of their abdomen, which is significantly reduced in females. Brook snaketails have clear wings with black veins throughout.

Distribution & Habitat

Brook snaketails are found in clear sand-bottomed fast-moving streams surrounded by dense woodlands. In New Jersey, they are limited to the northwest Ridge and Valley areas.

Diet

Nymphs feed on aquatic invertebrates and sometimes even small fish and tadpoles. Adults catch soft-bodied flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, and moths.

Life Cycle

Emerging in mid-May, brook snaketails will remain active through August. After mating, females will oviposit their eggs on the surface of the water.

Current Threats, Status, and Conservation

The brook snaketail is considered Threatened in New Jersey due its rarity and lack of suitable breeding habitat.

References

Text derived from the book, Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of New Jersey. 2009. By Allen E. Barlow and Jim Bangma.

Edited and updated by Karena Di Leo in 2011.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Gomphidae
Genus: Ophiogomphus
Species: O. aspersus